Mamadou Sakho will miss Liverpool's semi-final Europa League showdown after indicating he is ready to accept a charge relating to a doping test failure.

The defender has not been included in the squad that travelled to Villarreal this morning for the semi-final first leg.

Sakho failed a routine drugs test after the game at Manchester United in the competition, and is now facing a charge relating to UEFA's doping violation charter.

He had until Tuesday to request a test of the B sample after the initial sample tested positive for a substance on WADA's banned list, and also provide an explanation to the European governing body.

Sakho will be a big miss for Jurgen Klopp's side (Image: Reuters)

And whilst Liverpool refused to comment yesterday, or provide any confirmation, indications are that he will now accept the charge, but then ask for a personal hearing to offer mitigating evidence.

It is understood he took a fat burning product to hone his physique, and it is likely he will offer an explanation suggesting he was unaware the supplement contained a banned substance.

The defender is facing a two year ban, but under the WADA code that is highly likely to be reduced because of the nature of the substance, and he is more likely to face a six-month ban, which would start from last weekend, given his acceptance of the charge.